1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to computer networks and in particular to methods for transmitting electronic messages via computer networks. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to methods for providing notification to both the source and recipient of classified electronic messages which are undeliverable due to classification restrictions.
2. Background Art
The electronic mail is rapidly supplanting Post Office mail as a means for communicating between individuals. One significant advantage of electronic mail is that the transmission time associated with each electronic mail message is ordinarily only seconds, or fractions of a second, as compared to Post Office mail which ordinarily requires several days.
The mailing time associated with Post Office mail often causes significant delay in the conduct of business and has been largely ignored, and consequently tolerated, until the advent of Express Mail services and electronic mail. Currently, this widespread delay of business is identified as "float" and the minimizing or eliminating of this float has become one goal of business managers, efficiency experts and others hoping to increase societal productivity.
The widespread utilization of electronic mail systems have given rise to a problem of security. That is, the worrisome problem of delivering a sensitive electronic mail message to the terminal of a third party only to have that message intercepted and read by another due to a lack of sufficient security at the recipient's terminal. Recently a method has been proposed whereby the delivery of a classified message will be automatically cancelled if the recipient's system profile does not match a pre-established profile which has been transmitted with the message. While this represents an enhancement over known electronic mail systems by providing a system with the ability to automatically proscribe the delivery of a classified message to a recipient whose recipient profile does not match the pre-established profile established by the source of the classified message, it does not address the problem of how to proceed once delivery of a classified message has been cancelled.
Thus, it should be obvious that a need exists for a method whereby the delivery and receipt of sensitive electronic messages may be carefully restricted and whereby the source and recipient of such electronic messages may receive notification indicating the delivery or non-delivery status of a classified message.